Newsquest south London: support the action

For the second time in the past year, journalists at Newsquest south London have been forced to take strike action as further cuts will make their workloads impossible and the proposed staffing levels will have a serious impact on their ability to produce quality journalism.

The chapel voted to strike for five days and has now extended the strike until Friday 28 October.

Siobhain McDonagh, MP for Mitcham and Morden, wrote to Henry Faure Walker, chief executive of Newsquest, regarding quality journalism, excessive workloads and high stress levels. She said she feared "young trainees who start off thinking they are beginning their dream career are dejected and burned out by the workloads and lack of support". He denied there were "cripplingly high workloads", yet when the only reporter on the Richmond & Twickenham Times/Wandsworth Guardian desk was on holiday, the papers and websites were left to be produced by the news editor, a work experience student and reporters from the Croydon Guardian.

DONATE NOW

The chapel would like to thank NUJ chapels, branches and members who have offered messages of support. Now they are asking for donations to sustain them as they take this action. If you are sending a donation can you also please email bernardr@nuj.org.uk noting the amount and send the money to:

Newsquest south NUJ chapel: "The company’s proposal for the future of this newsroom and its news output is indicative of its continual lack of appreciation for its editorial staff, and its repeated failure to recognise the hard work and professional pride that goes into their work.

James Berry, Conservative MP for Kingston and Surbiton, "Whatever your politics, this is bad news for local democracy in #Kingston."

Fiona Twycross AM, Labour’s London Assembly economy spokesperson: “Newsquest is putting its staff in an appalling position. They are faced with the prospect of redundancy or an unmanageable workload, neither option is fair."

OTHER THINGS YOU CAN DO

NUJ Members who live in south London are being asked to contact their MP or local councillors asking them to write to Newsquest chief executive Henry Faure Walker at h.faurewalker@newsquest.co.uk and local managing editor Tony Portelli at tportelli@london.newsquest.co.uk requesting that they reverse this disastrous decision which puts the reporting of local democracy at risk and journalists out of work or with impossible workloads. You can contact your MP or local councillors via the Write to Them website.